It's technically past my frost-free date but it's been a cold spring here. My spring plantings (spinach, lettuce, radishes, peas) are slow getting started. For that reason, I also started my summer seedlings late. It feels weird to have only tiny seedlings in mid-April, but I want a full spring crop before I plant the summer stuff. I run the risk of planting out the summer crops in too-hot weather by doing this though.
I'm still learning how to ride out the weather and how best to adjust to different weather issues.
We added 16 new Birdies tall beds this year, bringing the total up to 62. We also have four 16' rows set up with cattle panels on cinderblocks and grow bags underneath for beans (not started yet). Three of the new beds are in a still-under-construction bodged hoop house where I'll keep the hot peppers (my newest dog likes to eat from the garden so I need to lock up the hottest peppers).
Currently planted outside (varieties): Radishes (2), spinach (4), lettuce (8), carrots (4) onions (2), peas (4: golden snow, sweet magnolia, oregon giant, super sweet snap), asparagus (have to wait one more year to harvest), strawberries, various herbs (all come back now that we don't get much of a winter anymore, even the rosemary). A late frost may have nipped the blossoms on the fruit trees.
Seedlings (in our refurbed greenhouse that's part of the house)
Tomatoes: Brandys (red, pink, black, yellow), Black Krim (lots, our fav), Pineapple (another fave), Lemon Boy, German Johnson, Striped German, Old German, Tiffen Mennonite, Rose, Prudens Purple, Carbon, Cherokee Purple, Paul Robeson (another fave), Abe Lincoln, Mortgage Lifter, Mushroom, Dr Wyche (first time), Hillbilly, Jersey Devil, Bread and Salt, Oxheart.
Cherry Tomatoes: Supersweet 100, Sun Gold, Indigo Cherry, White Cherry, Chocolate Cherry (these seeds haven't come up so I'm going to start black cherry seeds this weekend).
Sweet Peppers: Cali bells in different colors, cubanelles, Doe, King of the North, Bridge to Paris, Jimmy Nardello, Shishito, Pimentos, Big Jim, Pepperoncini, Sailfish, Olympus. I found some old green machine seeds I might start this weekend since it looks like the peppers won't go in until the beginning of June.
Hot Peppers: Several varieties of Scotch Bonnet, jalapeños and habaneros. I'm also trying tabasco for the first time.
Eggplants: Standards like black beauty and thanos. (Sis promised to turn these into Eggplant Parmesan dishes for the freezer if I grew enough for both of us.)
Cukes and Zukes: I start some inside and direct seed others to stagger production. I mostly do standard cucumbers like marketmore but I might try armenian this year. I love zucchini so I do several different types ... Dunja, Black Beauty, Cocozelle, Zephyr, Golden, Cube of Butter, Eight ball, Safari. (I'm sure I'm forgetting some, I plant a LOT of zucchini.)
Basil: A lot of genovese style as well as cinnamon, lemon, holy, and thai. I do lots of cinnamon and holy basil around the yard to attract pollinators.
Melons: I'm doing some cantaloupe this year, Hale's and Chanterais. I love cantaloupe so fingers crossed.
Random notes:
We are still eating from last year's bounty even though we're getting down near the end ... beans, peas, carrots, various tomato sauces. Onions are long gone. Zucchini and peppers are gone too. And garlic.
I have the seeds to do a cut flower garden but haven't done anything with them yet. We've got some stuff going on and the weather isn't cooperating so I'm trying to focus on the core garden first. Maybe I'll get to them next month.
I also gave up on getting potatoes in the ground this year (again). It's frustrating that I always seem to punt on the potatoes because they are a 'bad' crop climate-wise so I would be making an impact by growing my own. *sigh*
The lack of potatoes is part of the reason I'm considering joining the local CSA again -- a lot of their summer/fall produce is corn, potatoes, pumpkins and watermelon -- none of which I grow. It seems weird to join a CSA when I have such a large garden, but it would help fill some gaps in my own garden and act as a backup.